1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to attachments or accessories for firearms, and more particularly to auxiliary sighting illumination aids (such as a flashlight or laser) and mounting devices for semi-automatic pistols; and more specifically, to the mounting of an auxiliary light beam aiming device to a pistol, but which may also be applied to other forms of firearms use, or to non-firearms applications such as sport, hunting, or diving activities where aiming or spotting type of illumination assistance is required.
2. Description of Related Art
As pointed out in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,894,941 and 5,167,446, Law Enforcement Officers in the United States, and in many other countries, are required to carry a flashlight and a firearm, typically a handgun, such as a pistol. Law Enforcement Officers in both the United States and Europe are taught to fire their handguns using a two-handed grip on the gun, known as the `Weaver` stance and its variations. During day light hours, or in well lit areas, the two-handed grip method presents no problems to gun usage and target identification; however, in dimly lit or darkened conditions, it is difficult, if not impossible to aim a gun correctly while at the same time trying to illuminate the target area in order to identify a potential target, as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,542,447, 4,758,933, 4,894,941, and 5,167,446 point out. Target identification in dimly lit environments has, in the past, resulted in sacrificing the proper two handed grip method for the method of holding a light in one hand, away from the body, and the handgun in the other. The problems with using this old method are many. First, there is the inconsistency in training, requiring the shooter to master two different forms of shooting (day-type two-handed shooting and night-type one handed shooting). Many Law Enforcement Officers have enough problems mastering one, let alone two different types of shooting techniques. Second, the old method makes it nearly impossible to shoot and move with any reliable degree of accuracy. Another problem that Law Enforcement Officer's constantly face, is the inability to effectively and safely conduct a building search while both hands are tied up with a firearm and a flashlight.
There are also physiological problems encountered when using the old method. These problems result from human beings being asked to split their attention, and command their body to complete two separate gross motor functions (holding a light at the proper angle with one hand and controlling a handgun with the other), and two separate fine motor functions (activating the light and aiming the handgun). There is a known phenomenon that all humans experience which is referred to as sympathetic motor function. Basically, when one hand, or leg, exerts force, the other hand, or leg, will sympathetically exert a lesser force. This is a very basic definition, but it serves as an example that Law Enforcement Officers run the risk of experiencing an unintentional discharge of their weapon when they are trying to complete two separate functions with each hand.
Not only are Law Enforcement Officers confronted with the problem of target identification in dimly lit or darkened conditions, but so are hundreds of thousands of home owners and other people who own hand guns, as U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,716 points out. Therefore, safety for all gun owners is an important consideration for having a gun mounted light system.
It is not a new concept to attach to handguns auxiliary sighting aids such as devices capable of generating a light beam. For over eighty-five years, proposals have been made for auxiliary sighting aids for firearms using light beams or light spots on targets, as has been pointed out in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,777,754 and 4,856,218. When the light is mounted on the firearm, not only can the proper two handed grip be maintained, but the second hand can be freed up to perform many other functions when the need occurs, such as safely opening a door, looking under a bed, checking out an attic, finding a light switch, using a handrail if moving along a dark stairway, or using the radio or telephone to call for back up or help, to name a few, without sacrificing the advantage of having a light source available.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,777,754 and 4,856,218 list a series of U.S. Patents that address patents that propose clamping a flashlight or incandescent lamp with lens, reflectors, on/off switches, trigger switches, and external or internal batteries to a handgun.
With the advent of lasers and infrared systems, patents such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,777,754, 4,856,218, 5,042,186, and 5,056,254, and the multitude of patents they refer to, have been issued. All laser systems however, have one basic problem, that is, they all fail to project a beam that allows the capability to illuminate and identify a potential target.
Target identification requires a device, such as a flashlight, with a beam that concentrates on the general target area while having the capability to highlight surrounding areas. Once the target has been located, then laser devices can be used. In other words, a flashlight device is needed to complement the laser, whereas a flashlight does not require a laser device to complement its ability to locate and identify a target. A laser device is useless unless the target has been already identified.
Other methods of attaching laser or flashlight aiming devices, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,777,754, 5,042,186, and 5,056,254 address, and the multitude of patents that each references, requires the user to have an extensive knowledge of firearms, as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,894,941 and 5,042,186 point out, in order to install the devices.
Other problems presented by some of the previous inventions are the weight of the attachment and illuminating device, and the ability to easily attach and use the target illuminating device, as pointed out by U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,447.
A problem common to all the inventions addressing the attachment of a flashlight and flashlight mounting device to a firearm, and in particular, to a handgun, is that the user cannot use the standard holster that may have come with the firearm. The user is therefore forced into either buying a new holster, or having the existing holster modified in order to safely house the newly mounted flashlight weapon system.
Our invention compensates for and/or corrects all of the problems addressed, inferred, or caused by all the inventions referred to in the above related art, or the inventions referenced to in the above related art.